Eliot Wolf rising in Packers’ front office

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 6, 2012, 7:24 AM EST

Eliot Wolf, the 30-year-old son of former Packers General Manager Ron Wolf, is looking like a rising star in the Packers’ front office.

Wolf is in line for a significant promotion and will assume the duties of former director of football operations Reggie McKenzie, now the general manager of the Raiders, according to Bob McGinn of the Journal Sentinel. Wolf, who has worked for the Packers since 2004, took on additional responsibilities for this year’s draft when McKenzie left for Oakland.

Few people have achieved as high a rank in an NFL front office at as young an age as Wolf, who’s likely to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a general manager some day.

The Packers are also expected to name Brian Gutekunst the assistant director of college scouting, replacing Shaun Herock, who left to become the Raiders’ director of college scouting. Packers area scouts Alonzo Highsmith and Sam Seale may be given expanded roles by Packers G.M. Ted Thompson as well.

The Raiders are home in the sense that Elliot’s childhood was spent around the Raiders since his father worked for them for roughly the first ten years of Elliot’s life. The Raiders and Packers actually have a ton of connections in the front office because of Wolf.

shyamuw says:
May 6, 2012 8:43 AM
Some thing wrong about a30 yr old son of a former executive being able to climb up this high this fast .

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Why? He watched his father in the role of GM for most of his young life, apparently he was a pretty with-it young man and learned a few things from his dad.

As a Packer fan I cringe when I see personnel from our scouting department being plucked away. I think the promotion of Wolf makes perfect sense. I expect TT to go through the remainder of his current contract and then pass the reins. I can’t imagine a better situation for GB that for Wolf to stay with the Packers, continue to learn from Thompson, and be his replacement in a few years. If that were to happen we would (ideally) have a young GM that grew up in a proven system. Mike McCarthy is a relatively young coach and if we have a scouting department that continues to infuse the right talent the Pack will be contenders for years.

Go Pack Go!

LoCoSu@%s says:May 6, 2012 9:44 AM

So little Eliot has been grading prospects since he was 5?
I guess he was a salary cap wizard at 10 as well.

voiceofrealism says:May 6, 2012 9:45 AM

I’m sure he has tons of wonderful memories of the Raiders from his first 8 years of life, if Ron even had him near the Raiders much at that young an age.

@aaronitout It is really hard for young people to get jobs in sport. It angers me that is so much easier when your dad works in the league. I have a Master’s degree, will do Eliot Wolf’s job for free for the next five years. I still won’t get that chance. That’s what annoys me.

Its not like his dad hired him, gave him empty job titles, and promoted him along the way. Sure his dad got his foot in the door, but I doubt the Packers would give such a vital role to someone undeserving just to appease someone who is no longer with the organization (no matter how revered he may be).

If it is whining to complain about nepotism in some of America’s corporations and most sought after jobs than I am a whiner. If it is whining to point out that talented, educated people are missing out on opportunities to interview and advance then I’m a whiner. If it is whining to point out that there is not equal opportunity in the pro sports world and that there is a huge advantage to being born in to privilege, then I am a whiner.

If there aren’t enough whiners, you get a Jessica Dorell sleeping with a head coach to advance professionally and an incompetent Jim L Mora getting three head coaching jobs in a decade while several hard working, sincere individuals wallow in jobs they are way overqualified for.

rraider says:May 6, 2012 10:43 AM

Didnt Sam Seale play for the Raiders?

jessethegreat says:May 6, 2012 10:54 AM

Great, so not only are my Packers still busy grooming back-up QB’s for other teams, they’re also grooming front office personnel?

If there aren’t enough whiners, you get a Jessica Dorell sleeping with a head coach to advance professionally and an incompetent Jim L Mora getting three head coaching jobs in a decade while several hard working, sincere individuals wallow in jobs they are way overqualified for.

If your Master’s degree, work ethic, and sincerity haven’t put you where you feel you deserve to be, that’s on you. Try harder.

For some strange reason, I don’t believe a billion dollar operation will hand the keys over to an unqualified individual just because his dad worked for them. He has shown great promise and is being rewarded for it. The Packers front office has proven to be the best in the NFL, that’s why all their management and coaching staff get scooped up by other teams.

backindasaddle says:
Would he be “a rising star” if not for his father????…… Of course not.

That’s all fine…… but, please, let’s just acknowledge it for what it is.

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His father got his foot in the door, everyone can agree to that. His father being Ron Wolf does not account for the fact that he does his job well. Or was he responsible for Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, and the few other picks that have failed during Thompson’s tenure and they are just keeping him on because they want to appease Ron Wolf? Ron Wolf has absolutely nothing to do with the Packers these day. In fact, as of late he has been more involved with the Raiders.

Since when has Ted Thompson bent to anyone’s will?

backindasaddle says:May 6, 2012 2:20 PM

aaronitout says:
May 6, 2012 2:08 PM
backindasaddle says:
Would he be “a rising star” if not for his father????…… Of course not.

That’s all fine…… but, please, let’s just acknowledge it for what it is.

———————————————————-

His father got his foot in the door, everyone can agree to that. His father being Ron Wolf does not account for the fact that he does his job well. Or was he responsible for Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, and the few other picks that have failed during Thompson’s tenure and they are just keeping him on because they want to appease Ron Wolf? Ron Wolf has absolutely nothing to do with the Packers these day. In fact, as of late he has been more involved with the Raiders.

Since when has Ted Thompson bent to anyone’s will?
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This is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. He would not be where he is if not for his father. Simply ACKNOWLEDGE it!

houndog50 says:May 6, 2012 2:42 PM

Is it jealousy or stupidity? Does anyone here really believe this kid is climbing the ladder because his Dad was good at what he did? Really? This kid has been around NFL players since he learned to walk and you would think he could recognized a good one!

I wish my dad was Archie Manning, then I could get a job as an NFL quarterback like Peyton and Eli did.

backindasaddle says:
May 6, 2012 2:20 PM
aaronitout says:
May 6, 2012 2:08 PM
backindasaddle says:
Would he be “a rising star” if not for his father????…… Of course not.

That’s all fine…… but, please, let’s just acknowledge it for what it is.

———————————————————-

His father got his foot in the door, everyone can agree to that. His father being Ron Wolf does not account for the fact that he does his job well. Or was he responsible for Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, and the few other picks that have failed during Thompson’s tenure and they are just keeping him on because they want to appease Ron Wolf? Ron Wolf has absolutely nothing to do with the Packers these day. In fact, as of late he has been more involved with the Raiders.

Since when has Ted Thompson bent to anyone’s will?
___________________________________

This is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. He would not be where he is if not for his father. Simply ACKNOWLEDGE it!

———————————————————-

Better head back to school. Maybe you can get some remedial courses in reading comprehension. Check the first line of what I typed in my previous post. It does ACKNOWLEDGE your mundane point.

buckybadger says:May 6, 2012 3:36 PM

Nepotism will only get you so far for those that are crying about that. Sure his father had the connections to get him in the door but he has to perform to keep moving up.

The Raiders just took some people so this was expected. Other guys got new jobs as well. If the Packers roster is starts to fail we can revisit the topic.

stampnhawk says:May 6, 2012 4:08 PM

Like any job, once you have the inside track and inside connections, its tough for an outsider to overcome that, no matter how qualified.
Happens in most work places.

That’s all fine…… but, please, let’s just acknowledge it for what it is.

———————————————————-

His father got his foot in the door, everyone can agree to that. His father being Ron Wolf does not account for the fact that he does his job well. Or was he responsible for Justin Harrell, Mike Neal, and the few other picks that have failed during Thompson’s tenure and they are just keeping him on because they want to appease Ron Wolf? Ron Wolf has absolutely nothing to do with the Packers these day. In fact, as of late he has been more involved with the Raiders.

Since when has Ted Thompson bent to anyone’s will?
___________________________________

This is EXACTLY what I’m talking about. He would not be where he is if not for his father. Simply ACKNOWLEDGE it!

———————————————————-

Better head back to school. Maybe you can get some remedial courses in reading comprehension. Check the first line of what I typed in my previous post. It does ACKNOWLEDGE your mundane point.
_______________________________________________________

It is NOT a mundane point. It is a very salient point. The fact is that he wouldn’t be there if not for dad and the team would have hired somebody with valid qualifications into the position. The fact that you’re calling it a “mudane” point just further reinforces what I’m talking about. He might end up being the best GM in all the land but if not for dad he would not be there to begin with. Somebody with valid credentials/experience would be there in his place. It’s called nepotism and it prevents more qualified people from getting positions they rightfully should. It’s called bias, favoritism and ultimately it’s discrimination.

How many times have we seen college teams hire a high school coach, or a college that offers an older sibling a scholarship to get a player they wanted. Life isn’t fair sometimes. Who has time to worry about something you can’t change?

Didn’t E Wolf start doing evaluations when he was like 12? I think I remember E Wolf also working for the Dolphins while he was in school at Miami (FL.) I don’t know if it was an internship, paid internship, or a paid job, but it sounds like he has earned his spot. I suspect dad taught him well, just as Ted T says he learned from Ron Wolf. Either way I think any team would be better with Eliot Wolf on their staff.

sfninerfan says:May 6, 2012 11:53 PM

Not everyone who’s made it at a young age in the NFL has done it because of nepotism. Look at Brian Hampton of the 49ers; at age 32 he’s currently the Niners’ Director of Football Administration…a position that he’s held since he was 30. He has no relation to anyone at an NFL franchise. Did he get any press when he got this job? No. Because his dad wasn’t a famous former NFL GM his promotion didn’t make the news cycle. There are plenty of guys out there who have achieved NFL front office success at a young age because of being smart and good at their jobs.

How about you think the fact that the NFL is vastly different than the rest of the business world and the public sector. The decision makers in the NFL do not give a sh*t about who is whos son. They put people in decision making positions who are capable of making the right call. If Elliot Wolf was an idiot/not qualified for his job he wouldn’t have it.

Again, you people that are complaining about him getting the job because of his dad sound like a bunch of whining children.

Going along with what sfninerfan said, there are many more people in positions of power in the NFL that had zero connection to the league and through hard work, intelligence, and perseverence were able to make name for themselves. Mike McCarthy being a perfect example of that.

toolkien says:May 7, 2012 9:40 AM

It is really hard for young people to get jobs in sport. It angers me that is so much easier when your dad works in the league. I have a Master’s degree, will do Eliot Wolf’s job for free for the next five years. I still won’t get that chance. That’s what annoys me. – shyamuv
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Sometimes nepotism works, sometimes it doesn’t. The NFL is the Not For Long league, so if you don’t perform, you’re gone, unless you’re part of the family ownership of course.

Ted Thompson got his chance with the Packers because he was a friend and former roommate of Mike Reinfeldt, who was with the Packers’ front office. It was he who talked Ron Wolf into giving Thompson an apprenticeship – one year as an assistant, breaking down tape and writing up evaluations. And after two promotions to Wolf’s right hand man, Holmgren brought Thompson out to Seattle to help build a Super Bowl caliber team there. Thompson then was brought back to Green Bay, and the rest speaks for itself.

Seems to me that while there is nepotism involved, there’s a pretty good gene pool here between the Wolf’s and Thompson.

The only real problem with nepotism gone wrong is when it gets bailed out by Force (as in Too Big To Fail). So I can see your point, but unfortunately the adage “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” was coined a long time before you were born and it will be here long after you’re gone. So take comfort that the concept wasn’t freshly minted just to jerk you around, everyone faces it.

skittlesareyum says:May 7, 2012 11:49 AM

backindasaddle says:
May 6, 2012 5:24 PM

The fact that you’re calling it a “mudane” point just further reinforces what I’m talking about. He might end up being the best GM in all the land but if not for dad he would not be there to begin with.

This apparently will come as a shock to you, but it really does help to know people. It’s called “networking”. I got my job because I was friends with someone who worked there, and he got me an interview. Is that not fair to all those who didn’t know someone at the company? Maybe, but tough luck. That’s how the world works. I still had to do my job well, so the company is OK with it.

backindasaddle says:May 7, 2012 7:53 PM

skittlesareyum says:
May 7, 2012 11:49 AM

backindasaddle says:
May 6, 2012 5:24 PM

The fact that you’re calling it a “mudane” point just further reinforces what I’m talking about. He might end up being the best GM in all the land but if not for dad he would not be there to begin with.

This apparently will come as a shock to you, but it really does help to know people. It’s called “networking”. I got my job because I was friends with someone who worked there, and he got me an interview. Is that not fair to all those who didn’t know someone at the company? Maybe, but tough luck. That’s how the world works. I still had to do my job well, so the company is OK with it.
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‘skittlesareyum’ says:

“It’s called “networking”.

Nope sorry there skittles. You’re dead wrong on this one. On this one it’s called “nepotism”.

Did Ron Wolf hire Elliot Wolf to work for the Packers? No. Therefore it is not nepotism. For clarification here you go from dictionary.com:

nep·o·tism
[nep-uh-tiz-uhm] Show IPA

noun
patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of family relationship, as in business and politics: She was accused of nepotism when she made her nephew an officer of the firm.

Now I see where it would be easy to confuse the two being that Elliot Wolf got his foot in the door because of who his dad is, but that relationship in itself does not create a situation of nepotism, rather a situation of fortunate networking for Elliot. It has been many years since Ron Wolf was the GM in Green Bay. Anyone in his familiy can be hired by the Packers and it won’t be nepotism. Technically.

ron750 says:Oct 29, 2012 7:32 AM

Unlike most of you, I have known Eliot since he was 5. He is very intelligent, hard working and raised by one of the best general managers, ever. He could work for any NFL team he wants.

If the world’s best chef taught his son all the tricks of the trade, and let him take over his restaurant, and it was still successful, do you deserve his job because you went to chef school?